The Russian government intends to cut down the number of convoys sent to the militant-held areas of eastern Ukraine. Vladimir Artamonov, Russia’s Deputy Emergency Minister, reported that on Thursday.

That, according to him, is due to the ‘fact that the locals basically have everything they need; it concerns mostly food and medicines’.

This month, Russia is to send another two convoys to the occupied areas of eastern Ukraine – on March 16 and 23. The last time the convoy reached Donbas, it was February 28.

The Russian authorities have been sending the so-called humanitarian convoys to Ukraine since August 2014. The Russian side claims the trucks carry food, water, medicines, books, agrarian instruments and other necessities. Ukraine insists there are weapons and ammunition aboard the trucks, so they reach Kremlin-backed militants that keep on attacking Ukrainian positions.